Asteroid #4

The Asteroid No.4 is from Philadelphia and have been releasing records and touring consistently since the later half of the 1990s. Rooted deep in psychedelic music, specifically that of the 1960s and early 1990s British bands, A4 has never shyed away from wearing their influences firmly on their sleeves. Dabbling in everything from Anglo-induced guitar pop to the "Cosmic American" sounds of vintage L.A. country-rock outfits, the band has never lost site of it's goals, which was to become themselves.

1998s Introducing the Asteroid No.4 received critical acclaim as a keystone release of the late 90s Psychedelphia" scene, which also included other sonic experimentalists, Bardo Pond, The Lilys and he Azusa Plane. The time was captured on two compilations released on the band's in-house label, Lounge Records, a cover of "Losing Touch With My Mind" on the now collectible Spacemen 3 tribute Che / Rocket Girl) and a host of split and 7" singles. It was at this time that they toured with The Lilys llowing them the opportunity to develop a working relationship with the group's mastermind Kurt Heasley, who in 2000 went onto produce the bands ensuing release, 2001’s King Richard's Collectibles (Rainbow Quartz Intl.). The record had combined the material found on the previously released 5 song Apple Street EP (AIP Records) with a full batch of newly written, 60s inspired pop songs. This effort was where the band began to work towards a stripped-down aesthetic while attempting to hold onto their psych roots.

This experiment in minimalism did not stop there as the band dove deep into a Gram Parson's obsessed excursion, which not only expanded their record collections, but their minds to the classic ra of mid-century Honky Tonk, Blues and Folk. The 2003 full-length, Honeyspot (Rainbow Quartz/Turquoise Mountain), was released to a barrage of sour reviews as many considered the record as too much a departure from the group's psychedelic traditions. However, realizing their objectives, the band used the experiment as a springboard to 2006’s An Amazing Dream (Rainbow Quartz). This album was praised as a return to form and hailed as a sonic blast of well written psych anthems. To the unknowing, it might have appeared as the band simply doing what they do best, but from the Asteroid No.4's perspective, it was their recent work in simplifying that allowed the record to sound as it does. This was the moment when the A4 finally believed they had found themselves and their sound. Perhaps longevity has indeed proven to be fruitful....

The group has now been a solid core line-up for over three years which has enabled them to properly support An Amazing Dream. 2007 was an active year with two separate tours of the UK and several outings throughout the US. They are, for the first time, a group of like-minded individuals set on a course as key figures of the "3rd Wave of Psychedelia". Their latest effort, These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Withcraft & Devilry will be released in September of 2008 on the band’s newly signed-to label, The Committee to Keep Music Evil. The label, started in-part, by Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, is a home where similar modern psych bands from around the globe can do what they want creatively minus interference from "the man". 2008 will be a big year for the Asteroid No.4, with the release of their 5th full-length and tours throughout North America and Europe in tow.